It proved to be another forgettable night for Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United side as they succumbed to a last gasp winner at Bristol City in the Quater finals of the Carabao cup on Wednesday night.
Following Manchester City’s historic run in the league, in which they have only dropped a paltry two points heading into the second phase, this competition represented one of United’s major hopes of silverware this season. Mourinho has built a reputation for knowing how to win cup competitions with his tactical nous helping him build teams capable of going all the way in the knockout phases. The Portuguese famously led United to victories in the Europa League and the Carabao Cup in his debut season, but this display was arguably his team’s least impressive performance in a cup tie since the he came around.
The 52-year old had sent his team out in a hybrid 3-4-3 formation. His makeshift backline three of Danny Blind, Marcos Rojo and Victor Lindelof suggested that all won’t be well in defence especially without the talents of Spanish goalie,De Gea, who was rested for Sergio Romero. Perhaps with his team’s defensive fallibility in mind, Mourinho had sent out a star studded forward line to ensure that Bristol were kept perennially on the back foot. Anthony Martial and Marcos Rashford lined up either side of Super Star Swede, Zlatan Ibrahimovic while Paul Pogba, in his first game since his three game suspension for a stamp on Hector Bellerin, was given the license to pull the strings in midfield. Mctominay, serving as a midfield screen for the defence, was the only unknown quantity as Darmian and Luke Shaw were given wingback roles to complete what a seemed a decent line up against a Championship opposition.
United were guilty of profligacy in a scoreless first half as Rashford and Ibrahimovic could only direct their finishes against the woodwork with the goal begging. Those missed chances were to eventually prove costly a few minutes into the second half as Bristol City scored, through a Joe Bryan spectacular effort, to send the home fans at Ashton Gate into a rapturous mood. Six minutes later, Parity was restored as a Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s free kick made its way beyond the wall and into the net to draw United level. There was to be no happy ending for the away side,though, as with the game heading into extra time, a Korey Smith’s strike made its way past Romero to send the home side into the semi finals where a date with City awaits.
United, defending champions having won Southampton at Wembley last season, were favourites for the tie against the minnows who occupy third place on the championship standings and are contenders for a promotion to the top flight. Mourinho, with the busy festive season in mind and keen to keep his team fresh ahead of the weekend league game with Leicester City had made significant changes to the side that defeated West Bromwich Albion in the league . Zlatan Ibrahimovic was given a start, as United’s attacking focal point and while the giant swede had seemed to have pulled his team out of a bad spot with his equalizing strike, he looked bereft of full fitness.The former Paris St Germain’s striker looked rusty with his miss earlier in the game more a case of sloppiness than lack of luck. Throughout his stay on the pitch the former Sweden International was uncharacteristically poor in his hold up as time and time again he proved incapable of holding the ball long enough to lay it off for runners off him. He was eventually subbed off as Mourinho, at last gave out- of- form Armenian midfielder,Mkhitaryan, a rare appearance in the closing stages of the game.